Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a composition and a method for irrigating surfaces for dental and medical procedures and, in particular, to a composition and method of using medicament for endodontic irrigation, stem cell preparations, and tissue regeneration.
Description of Related Art
Root canal treatment is normally required whenever tissues in root canals are injured or infected. Bacteria destroys pulp (i.e., soft tissues occupying inner space of teeth) and can also leak out of root into surrounding bone. The root canal treatment is done by removing bacteria and organic matter from the root canal and then filling the space in order to prevent bacterial invasion and irritation to surrounding tissues.
In the root canal treatment (or endodontic), success of root canal therapy is dependent on a practitioner's ability to remove all tissue, debris and microorganisms from the root canal area. Treatment complication or failures may occur if infecting bacteria are not eliminated completely from the root canal space and/or the dentinal tubules. Bacterial invasion of microscopic spaces in dentin, irregularities or imperfections in the dentin structure including isthmuses, ramifications, accessory canals and apical deltas, can further complicate the root canal treatment and its outcome.
Currently, the practitioner uses many types of irrigants in order to chemo-mechanically prepare the root canal system for obturation. However, present endodontic irrigants require use of a combination of irrigants for chemo-mechanical instrumentation. Some endodontic irrigants are utilized for their tissue dissolving ability. For example, sodium hypochlorite is a widely used tissue dissolving agent. Sodium hypochlorite's effectiveness is dependent on its concentration and irrigation time and is highly effective at 5.25% for 40 minutes and ineffective at 1.3-2.5%. Further, antibacterial agents are either bactericidal or bacteriostatic. For example, chlorohexidine is bactericidal while a mixture of tetracycline, an acid, and a detergent (MTAD) is bacteriostatic. Furthermore, other endodontic irrigants are chelating agents like Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) that remove the smear layer and decalcify dentin. However, as discussed above, the success of the root canal treatment is dependent on the practitioner's ability to remove all the contents from within the root canal system before obturation.
Pulp calcifications within the root canal system are obstructions to debridement in a variety of forms. Pulp stones are isolated areas of calcifications. While other calcifications take the form of diffuse calcification and irregular linear calcifications. Calcifications and calcification blockages present a problem to successfully negotiate the canal during instrumentation.
Conventional endodontic intra-canal medicaments have specific limitations. For example, sodium hydroxide's ability to eradicate all the bacteria in the root canal system is not possible. Sodium hydroxide needs to be in direct contact for it to be effective but this is difficult to attain. Sodium hydroxide cannot diffuse into direct contact when there are calcifications present that are natural obstructions.
As another example, sodium hypochlorite can dissolve organic tissue but cannot predictably inactivate endotoxins. Also, sodium hypochlorite loses its effectiveness when it is diluted. Furthermore, it is irritating to tissue.
Additionally, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is effective for removing inorganic material as a chelating agent. However, EDTA should not be used with sodium hypochlorite, as it reduces the available chloride making sodium hypochlorite not effective as an irrigant.
MTAD is a mixture of doxycycline, citric acid, and Tween 80 (a detergent) in order to remove some of the smear layer. However, it is not effective against fungi within the root canal system. Also, it can have a negative effect on the bond strength of root canal sealers when used as a final intra-canal rinse. Finally, chlorhexidine or chlorhexidine digluconate can be used for disinfection but cannot dissolve tissue.
Thus, there is a need for a composition and method for removing all tissue, debris and microorganisms and dislodging calcifications from the root canal system during root canal treatment and for preparing surfaces for stem cell therapy and for tissue regeneration.